Compound for use in clothes washing



Patented Sept. 5, 1933 COMPOUND FOR USE IN CLOTHES WASHING OliverMitchell and Emmett M. Flood, Palos Park, 111., assignors to SterlingBorax Company, Chicago, 11L, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing.Application April 10, 1930 Serial No. 443,245

3 Claims.

This invention relates to compounds for use in washing cloth or clothesand particularly to compounds for neutralizing any alkali which may bepresent and for producing an acid condition 5 preparatory to the bluingoperation, and for use in bluing.

Alkali is present in cloth or clothes from the soap and other washingcompounds used in degreasing or washing. The alkali contained in thefabric, even when relatively weak, acts upon the cellulose of the fiber,producing a yellow color. It also converts starch to dextrine andglucose, which decompose from the heat of ironing and pressing, intoyellow substances. To guard against this yellow color the alkali must beremoved or neutralized and then bluing resorted to for the purpose ofgiving to the fabric a pearl white appearance. Basic aniline dyes areused for bluing, and as such dyes are decom posed by alkalies, it isdoubly necessary to treat the cloth or clothes with an acid solutionbeforethey are subjected to the bluing operation. This lacidulatingprocess, which is known in the art at the present time as souring isused to neutralize the alkali or produce an acid condition so that thecloth or clothes may be blued evenly and completely.

In the souring operation mineral acids have been used, such assulphuricand hydrochloric, in very dilute solution. Organic acids, suchas acetic, lactic, and oxalic, have been used in varying proportions,and some salts of acid reaction, such as sodium silico flouride and acidsodium sulphate have also been used to counteract the alkali.

The mineral acids referred to are corrosive and dangerous unless usedwith skill and extreme care. Most of the organic acids in neutralizingthe alkali, form compounds that are decomposed by the heat of ironingand the products of such decomposition weaken or destroy the fibers ofthe fabric or yellow the fabric and the starch. In this decomposition,gases or fumes are formed, some of which are irritating and disagreeableto workers on ironers and pressing machines, and others leave anoffensive odor in the fabric.

Another objection common to practically all of the souring agentsheretofore used, is that they require skillful manipulation,particularly (OH. H)

where a variety of fabrics are run in the same wash, and if notmanipulated with skill the clothes will not be properly prepared for thenext operation-bluingconsequently, the application of the blue is unevenand unsatisfacv tory.-

Whereas the compounds formed by the neutralizing action of the organicacids now being used as souring agents decomposeunder the heat ofironing with harm or discoloration to the fabric, the compounds of thesouring agent used in the present invention, are not so decomposed. areharmless, non-odorous, and even beneficial in many ways. a

It is customary to sour in excess to insure even 35 bluing and it isconsidered necessary in good laundering practice to give one ortworinses after bluing to remove the excess souring agent. 0wing tothefact that the compound employed in the present invention is harmless tothe fabric,

will not affect colors, is entirely odorless, and is non-irritating tothe skin of the human body, even when used greatly in excess of theamount actually required for neutralizing, it is not necessary toprovide one or more rinses subsequent to 7 the souring and bluingoperation.

The present invention provides a new and novel compound which will notonly counteract or neu- J tralize the residual alkali, and produceacidity if desired, to permit the goods to be evenly and completelyblued, but also contains the necessary dye for bluing the cloth orclothes in proper and permanent proportion to the amount of sour. Theeffect of this combination of the souring agent and the bluing agent isto produce simultaneous action upon the fibers of the cloth so that nopiece or part of the fabric can be exposed to the dye except inconjunction with the souring agent, thus assuring an even and uniformblue. Whereas the use ofseparate substances or compounds for the purposeof souring and bluing, as now practiced, often results in discolorationor damage to fabric, and lack of even or uniform bluing, unless 'usedwith skill andextreme care; the product of simple in application, sosafe and harmless, that successful results do not depend upon its beingused by those having technical education and skill.

The object of the invention is to provide a new 100 this invention is soand novel compound which is used as a neutralizing or souring agent anda bluing or dyeing agent.

Another object is to provide a compound containing boric acid andaniline dye in permanent and proper proportions and relation tosimultaneously and evenly neutralize or acidulate, and blue or dye thecloth or clothes, or fabric of any and all kinds.

Another object is to provide a compound which has the proportions andrelation of boric acid and dye so fixed that they are permanent andstable, which form a dry granular compound which is free running, tofacilitate weighing and measuring, and available for merchandising tothe public, safely, economically, and without hazard; which is easilyand conveniently dissolved for use in any desired concentration withinthe limits of the solubility of its components, and which is safe andharmless so that no particular -skill or caution in handling isrequired,to avoid danger or damage.

A further object is to provide a compound which is odorless, which isharmless to fabric, and which can be readily and economicallymanufactured or compounded.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the method ofmaking, as an article of manufacture, a composition of matter or amixture including a souring agent and a bluing agent which methodconsists in diluting a highly concentrated aniline dye in a solution ofwater or other liquid and then spraying the blued liquid into a mass ofboric acid while the boric acid is being agitated to evenly andthoroughly incorporate the dye with the boric acid to make a stabilizedmixture which will not separate and in which the proper proportion ofdye relative to the souring agent is fixed.

In carrying out the invention, a blue aniline dye is combined with asufficient quantity of boric acid to provide a compound whichneutralizes the alkali remaining in the fabric, provides acidity, andblues the fabric thoroughly and evenly. A purely mechanical mixture ofthe dry powdered dye and the dry granular boric acid, we found could notbe depended upon for uniformity. Natural settling caused by vibration inshipping or handling destroys the homogeneity of the mixture, due todifference in size and shape of the particles of the components anddifferences in their specific gravity. To insure evenness and stability,and to cause-the dye to be thoroughly incorporated with the boric acidand to insure a fixed and proper proportion of dye and souring agent, weeither wet the dried mixture with water or other solvent or dissolve thedye in water or other solvent, and mix the compound wet, subsequentlydrying the product, all as hereinafter described. In use the driedcompound is dissolved in water by the user in such quantity andconcentration as best suits the individual purpose or requirement.

Boric acid may be used either in crystal, granular, or powdered form. Weprefer to use a fine rather porous granular form for the reason that itabsorbs the dye more evenly and thoroughly, is free running when dry,and makes the compound more readily and quickly soluble for preparingthe combined souring and bluing solution for use.

The compound may be made by mixing powdered dye and the dry granularboric acid, in any suitable type of mechanical mixer, and then when thedye and boric acid are completely and intimately mixed, and while themass is still being agitated, sprayed by means of an atomizer withsuflicient water or other solvent to dissolve the dye and cause it to beabsorbed by and/or adhere to the particles of boric acid.

We prefer, however, to dissolve the dye in a small quantity of water orother solvent to form a concentrated solution of the dyeand' spray thissolution through an atomizer into a mass of granular boric acid whilethe same is being stirred or agitated in the mixer.

Following the mixing by either the dry or wet process, and subsequentwetting in the former method, the compound is then dried in a suitabledryer, either of the rotary or shelf type, and by atmospheric or vacuummethod. After the drying operation, the compound is run through a sifterto restore the free running granular condition. The compound is thenpacked in suitable containers for market. The effect of the carrying outof this method is to produce a compound which will remain stable inproportion. which causes the dye to be evenly and thoroughlyincorporated in the boric-acid, which will not cake, and which will befree running to facilitate easy and rapid weighing or measuring whenmaking the souring and bluing solution for use.

The proportions in which we prefer to mix the compound is six (6) ouncesof aniline dye to one hundred (100) pounds of boric acid, theseproportions being best suited for souring and bluing under ordinaryconditions, but the proportionsv of dye and boric acid can be increasedor decreased as may be found necessary to completely neutralize theresidual alkali in the cloth or clothes, and provide the proper degreeor extent of acidity and bluing.

The invention provides a new product which may be packed for commercialand domestic use. The product being non-corrosive, free running, andharmless, is safely handled, can be easily weighed or measured, andovercomes the hazard of using strong acids and/or acid salts for thesouring operation. The use of the product efficiently and completelyneutralizes all the alkali contained in the cloth or clothes, providesacidity if desired or needed-thoroughly and evenly blues the cloth orclothes, cuts down the number of rinsing operations, andpreserves thefabric.

Changes may be made in the various steps in carrying out the inventionand the quantities may be varied without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and theright is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly 'fall withinthe scope of the following claims. a

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. An agent used in connection with washing articles including clothes,clothing and cloth and comprising a souring agent in sufiicientproportion for neutralizing the residual alkali and soap remaining inthe articles from the result of washing, and a bluing agent for tintingthe articles,

said souring agent comprising boric acid and the bluing agent comprisingan aniline dye.

2. A new article of manufacture for use in washing articles made of.cloth comprising a sour- 7 ing agent for neutralizing the residualalkali and soap remaining in the articles from the result of washing,and a bluing agent for tinting the articles, the souring agentcomprising boric acid, and the bluing agent comprising an aniline dye,there being approximately six (6) ounces of aniline dye incorporatedwith approximately one hundred (100) pounds of boric acid.

8. An scent used inconnection withwashins said substances having a freerunning granular articles including clothes, clothing and cloth andcharacteristic, said souring agent comprising comprising a souring agentin suiiicient proporboric acid and the bluing agent comprising an tionfor neutralizing the residual alkali and soap aniline dye. 5 remainingin the articles from the result of washins, and a mains agent fortinting the articles,

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